divided the Trojan army, Achilles drives one part towards the
city, and the other into the Xanthus, where he takes twelve youths
alive, in order to sacrifice them at the tomb of Patroclus. He then
slays Lycaon and Asteropaeus, deriding the river-god, Xanthus, as unable
to aid his friends. The river endeavours to overwhelm him by the aid of
Simois, but Vulcan defends him from the danger. Single combats of the
gods then follow, but they afterwards retire to Olympus. Apollo then
leads Achilles away, assuming the form of Agenor, and the Trojans are
thus enabled to regain the city.

But when they at last reached the course of the fairly-flowing river,
the eddying Xanthus, which immortal Jove begat; there separating them,
he pursued some indeed through the plain towards the city, by the [same]
way that the Greeks, on the preceding day, being astounded, had fled,
when illustrious Hector raged. By that way were they poured forth
terrified; but Juno expanded a dense cloud before them, to check them:
but the other half were rolled into the deep-flowing river, with silver
eddies. But they fell in with a great noise; and the deep streams
resounded, and the banks around murmured; but they, with clamour, swam
here and there, whirled about in the eddies.[668] As when locusts,
driven by the force of fire, fly into the air, to escape to a river, but
the indefatigable fire, suddenly kindled, blazes, and they fall, through
terror into the water: thus, by Achilles, was the resounding river of
deep-eddied Xanthus filled promiscuously with horses and men. But the
Jove-sprung [hero] left his spear upon the banks, leaning against a
tamarisk; and he leaped in, like unto a god, having only his sword, and
meditated destructive deeds in his mind. And he smote on all sides, and
a shocking lamentation arose of those who were stricken by the sword,
and the water was reddened with blood. And, as when the other fish,
flying from a mighty dolphin, fill the inmost recesses of a
safe-anchoring harbour, frightened; for he totally devours whatever he
can catch; so the Trojans hid themselves in caves along the streams of
the terrible river. But he, when he was wearied as to his hands,
slaying, chose twelve youths alive out of the river, a penalty for dead
Patroclus, the son of Menoetius. These he led out [of the river],
stupified, like fawns. And he bound their hands behind them[669] with
well-cut straps, which they themselves bore upon their twisted tunics